Conferences, lots to choose from! October 5, 2008
Posted by Debbie Stafford in : Check this out!, Conferences, Learning, Opportunities , add a commentAfter the rush of a new school year I was reorganizing my desk. Among the items I re discovered was the program for last October’s AASL conference in Reno. I enjoyed looking over the program but it made me wish this were the year for another AASL conference. I know that the AASL Fall Forum (October 17 – 19 Oak Park Illinois) is near but I will not be able to attend. I am hoping that a few people will be blogging on this site from that meeting.
Meanwhile, I got to wondering what other school library related conferences might be in the works. I knew from LM_NET postings that several were coming up. I asked on LM_NET for a list as a Target. One thing led to another and the project turned out to be bigger than I planned. It would have been nice to have done this a month ago as a number of conferences have come and gone and several are going on NOW.
I have the list that I created posted on the LM_NET wiki for those who want to look it over (left navigation pane, Conferences 2008-2009). There is an excel file also. The list does not just show school library conferences, there are some technology conferences where school librarians are major partners are also listed. As a disclaimer, I expect there are some errors both of omission and of information and I would be happy to make corrections as I receive them.
I also made some observations while looking at my list.
Over the summer there were five conferences.
Three recent conferences were in September.
There are 18 possible conferences in October (Six this past week-end).
November has 10.
December has three
January has two
February has three
March has six
April has eight
May has three
Four conferences have @ as part of their theme as it @your library.
Several of the conferences have established wikis to allow for post conference sharing. Take a look at the Kentucky School Media Association wiki or the Rhode Island RIEMA08 for some examples.
Some of the conferences are co-sponsored, some examples;
Oregon and Washington associations offer a combined conference.
Colorado offered a summer conference co-sponsored by Technology in Education.
Georgia’s conference is a combined effort by Gerogia Library Association, The Georgia Library Media Association, and the Georgia Association for Instructional Technology.
Kentucky’s conference is a collaboration between 2008 National Diversity in Libraries Conference (NDLC) Kentucky Library Association, Kentucky School Media Association, and Southeastern Library Association. Some of the conferences are state library conferences co-sponsored by the state school library association or the state association has a division or special interest group for school libraries. Lastly, there are four regional library associations who are also sponsoring conferences. The Kansas Library Association conference is a joint conference with the Mountain Plains Library Association Conference for example. At any rate, there are lots of opportunities for school librarians to attend a conference. I recommend going, you always come back from a conference with new ideas and new energy.
Virtual Poster sessions: Promote your library’s community involvement August 17, 2008
Posted by Sara Kelly Johns in : Check this out!, Community, Opportunities , add a commentWhen I read this press release on the ALA site, I immediately thought of the many school libraries who are vital to their communities. Here’s a chance to promote your library program (Nov. 15 deadline):
This year, under American Library Association (ALA) President Jim Rettig’s leadership, members will have new opportunities to participate in ALA and to communicate their success stories. One of these opportunities is an ALA-wide virtual poster session.
The first of two poster sessions will debut this fall. Its focus is “Community Central.”
Share your experiences of making your library vital in your community (any kind of community). The possibilities are almost endless. Are you reaching underserved populations? Are you vital to local political activity? Is your library a center of learning? Are you visible outside the building? Demonstrate the specific purpose of your community involvement and the ways that you have achieved that purpose. Photos, images, and sounds may accompany your presentation.
To be considered for inclusion in the poster session, please send a proposal in the form of a summary of your library’s efforts, making sure to address the following points:
- Question or problem (need not be stated as hypotheses)
- Environmental context of the question or problem (such as public libraries, academic libraries)
- Organizational context of the question or problem (internal services, outreach, community analysis, etc.)
- Approaches to address the question or problem (i.e., the specific ways the library and its staff have addressed the kinds of programs and activities mentioned in the Community Central description)
- Outcomes (details on the effects of the approaches, including data, testimonials or other evidence of community involvement)
The summary must be no longer than three pages, double-spaced (one or more photos or images may be included as part of the three pages).
The deadline for submitting proposals is Nov. 15. Approximately 25 submissions will be selected and will be available for viewing during January 2009. Please send the proposals via e-mail to Dr. John M. Budd at BuddJ@missouri.edu.
A second virtual poster session will take place in the spring of 2009.
Rettig’s initiatives for his presidential term are about “Creating Connections” –connections among our libraries; connections between the communities we serve and those who make funding and policy decisions; connections with prospective library workers; connections with ALA members. His initiatives address three critical issues: Advocacy, Diversity and Member Participation.
For more information about ALA President Jim Rettig’s initiatives, please visit http://jimrettig.org/content/initiatives/initiatives.htm .
Call for nominees - deadline approaching April 30, 2008
Posted by mjones in : Opportunities , add a commentIFLA Standing Committee
AASL is seeking suggestions for nominees for membership on the International Federation of Library Association and Institutions (IFLA) standing committee for the Section of School Libraries and Resource Centers. The nominee will be selected by the ALA Executive Board for a four-year term (2009-2013).
Qualifications:
The nominee should be an expert in the field covered by the section (see http://www.ifla.org/VII/s11/index.htm for information about the Section of School Libraries and Resource Centers) and have a working knowledge of at least one working language of IFLA (English is an IFLA working language).
Documentation:
The ALA Executive Board requires that suggestions for nominations be accompanied by a resume. If nominated, IFLA requires that the following be provided:
(a) an indication of acceptance of the nomination by the individual;
(b) a short statement detailing the nominee’s qualifications and indication of present position; and
(c) affirmation that the person can fulfill the working language and travel requirements.
Future IFLA conferences:
2008 - 10-15, August Québec, Canada
2009 - Milan, Italy
2010 - Brisbane, Australia
AASL personal members interested in being suggested as a possible nominee should submit their resume to Julie Walker <jwalker@ala.org> no later than May 5, 2008.
Expenses to attend IFLA meeting/conferences are the responsibility of the individual or his/her institution. IFLA, ALA, and AASL do not provide financial support.
Board of Examiners of the NCATE
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is seeking individuals to recommend for service on the Board of Examiners of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Nominees must have demonstrated expertise in the field of professional education,
skill in the use of evaluation techniques, good writing skills, ability to make impartial professional judgements, and good interpersonal skills.
This appointment is time intensive; support from nominee’s employer is critical for the three year term. Those chosen by AASL/ALA will begin service on January 1, 2009.
Full information on the requirements, etc. can be found on the NCATE Web site.
Nominees are asked to submit a current vitae to Julie Walker <jwalker@ala.org> by May 16, 2008.
T.A. Barron’s Prize for Young Heroes March 7, 2008
Posted by admin in : Awards , add a commentThe Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2008 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,000 to support their service work or higher education. Nomination deadline is April 30. For more information and to nominate, visit http://www.barronprize.org/
Additionally, the Barron Prize is excited to offer educators a comprehensive set of heroes materials, including a brand new documentary film, Dream Big, and a corresponding Young Heroes Activity Guide. For more information, visit http://www.tabarron.com
Thanks for any help in distributing this information.
Best,
Barbara Ann Richman
Executive Director
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
ISTE’s SIGMS announces a new award March 4, 2008
Posted by Debbie Stafford in : Awards, Opportunities , add a commentGreat News!
SIGMS (Special Interest Group Media Specialists) a SIG within the ISTE community. Each June at the NECC conference we have a business meeting. At our SIGMS business meeting during NECC 2007 we began planning for an award focused on School Library Media Specialists collaborating with classroom teachers. This new award has become a reality through the sponsorship of Follett Software Company, Linworth Publishing Inc and ISTE.
There are actually two awards, one for elementary and one for secondary and each award is for a team of two, classroom teacher and SLMS. All school library media specialists are eligible. Submission process opens officially on January 15, 2008. Deadline to submit is March 15, 2008.
From the website;
“The purpose of this award is to identify, promote, and sustain excellence in collaborative and innovative technology-based projects driven by the school library media center in support of curricular and instructional needs in elementary and secondary schools.”
Further information and forms are available on the ISTE website www.iste.org/sigms-award
We will post similar information on the SIGMS wiki
http://sigms.iste.wikispaces.net/